I. Field of the Invention
This invention lies in the field of fast printing mechanisms for computers and the like. More particularly it concerns a type of ribbon cartridge which can be mounted in a printing mechanism and which is adapted to move rapidly across a sheet of printing medium in close association with a print wheel and hammer, such that selected characters can be printed from the wheel to the medium as the carriage containing the wheel and ribbon cartridge move at high speed across the medium.
II. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, printers have been designed with reinking systems which usually consist of a bottle of suitable marking fluid, or ink, and a means of wicking the ink from the bottle to the ribbon. In spool type ribbon feed systems, such designs are feasable because the ribbon can easily be moved across the wick with the bottle remaining stationary.
On the other hand in high speed cartridge type printers the ribbon is enclosed in a cartridge and the entire cartridge must move at extremely high slewing speeds. Because of the weight and the possiblity of spilling ink, bottle type reinking systems are not feasible.